Summary: FFPE EPO has been left out of staff representation, demonstrating that liaising with the oppressor is a self-deprecating move which must be avoided (the only remaining potent union is SUEPO)

THE union friendly towards management of the European Patent Office (EPO), Benoît Battistelli included, has sealed its fate. Many rightly perceive or consider it to be a 'yellow union' and yesterday it sent the following message to staff in The Hague:

---

From: EPO EMAIL SERVICE <epoemailservice@epo.org> Sent: 03 July 2020 16:08 Subject: To all TH staff: Message from the Committee of the FFPE EPO

Dear colleagues,

For those who voted for us in the elections and have now no representation in the staff committee: please consider joining us as member of our union so that we stand stronger!

We are the only union who has signed a MoU with EPO management, which permits us to discuss staff related issues directly with the President.

Despite not being elected, we continue our work as a union, to defend your interests, in particular your right to equal treatment.

The Committee of FFPE EPO

Marleen Kroeders Patrick Kools Aldert Jan de Haan

---

Why are they bragging about being in bed with the management? This isn't a good selling point, is it?

"FFPE," as a person told us, "the management-friendly union [...] apparently did not see the relation between signing a MoU and not getting elected..."

Well, indeed.

Included below, for the uninitiated at least, are past articles about FFPE EPO. ⬆

1. In the EPO's Official Photo Op, “Only One of the Faces is Actually FFPE-EPO”
2. Further Evidence Suggests and Shows Stronger Evidence That Team Battistelli Uses FFPE-EPO as 'Yellow Union' Against SUEPO
3. “FFPE-EPO Was Set up About 9 Years Ago With Management Encouragement”
4. Fallout of the FFPE EPO MoU With Battistelli's Circle
5. The EPO's Media Strategy at Work: Union Feuds and Group Fracturing
6. Caricature of the Day: Recognising FFPE EPO
7. Union Syndicale Federale Slams FFPE-EPO for Helping Abusive EPO Management by Signing a Malicious, Divisive Document
8. FFPE-EPO Says MoU With Battistelli Will “Defend Employment Conditions” (Updated)
9. Their Masters' Voice (Who Block Techrights): FFPE-EPO Openly Discourages Members From Reading Techrights
10. Letter Says EPO MoU “Raises Questions About FFPE's Credibility as a Federation of Genuine Staff Unions”
11. On Day of Strike FFPE-EPO Reaffirms Status as Yellow (Fake/Management-Leaning) Union, Receives 'Gifts'
12. Needed Urgently: Information About the Secret Meeting of Board 28 and Battistelli's Yellow Union, FFPE-EPO
13. In Battistelli's Mini Union (Minion) It Takes Less Than 10 Votes to 'Win' an Election
14. FFPE-EPO Going Ad Hominem Against FICSA, Brings Nationality Into It
15. Leaked Letter Reveals How Battistelli Still Exploits FFPE-EPO (Yellow Union) to Attack the Real EPO Union, SUEPO
16. FFPE-EPO is a Zombie (if Not Dead) Yellow Union Whose Only de Facto Purpose Has Been Attacking the EPO's Staff Union
17. FFPE-EPO, the EPO Management's Pet/Yellow Union, Helps Union-Busting (Against SUEPO) in Letter to Notorious Vice-President